The "dedicated track bike" is part of the difference. Many of us use track days to ride our street bikes harder than we normally can and those of us like Bob who no longer ride on the street but enjoy having a great bike and keeping it that way. While I can understand those that care less about their bikes and mainly about the ride, for many of us the bike, how we maintain and modify it and how we connect with it, is as important as the ride itself. In my case, I've been a mechanic for over forty years and I still enjoy working on my motorcycle. Leaving my 999 home and riding something else because it's cheaper wouldn't address why I go to the race track and has no appeal. If spending as little as possible works for you; great.
I care greatly for my bike, maintain it and modified it to fit my ability (revalved forks, new shock, and better brakes, and am having the bodywork painted this month. I don't feel I need to spend big bucks to totally enjoy myself going fast on weekends so that the urge to do 120 down Rt 80 on one wheel (not that I actually would) goes away. I spent 5 years on a previously raced R6 (that I loved) which I bought for $3200, made some improvements, wrecked once and sold for $2900 to get the Gixxer. It's all about the ride...
Thanks, Mike (46)....you GET IT <g>. My motorcycles, whether ridden on the street or on the track, have always been objects of my own obsessive artistic expression, that combine my vision of the perfect combination of form and function. While the personal limitations that live inside my head might never allow me to go any faster on my Superbike spec GSXR than I could on a Superstock spec machine, I enjoy throwing a leg over something I not only find beautiful, but something I helped make beautiful, far more than I would something I didn't. Gee....I think that's why we like attractive women.....their parts don't really work much different than ugly one's, but the ride's a bit more fun (LOL).
I heard Brad Pitt is pissed off because he is not getting the first one. In fact he made such a hissy fit that Ducati stoped all shipments until he gets his. Best part about this is there are some big $$$ names who will not get theirs until after Brad and now they are bitching to Ducati.
The rich don't have a monopoly on this. I've seen people in the registration and tech lines act worse.
Ducati's not stupid.... it's priceless press for superstars to have their machines. Superstars aren't stupid, either....they know just how impoertant it is to manufacturers like Ducati, Harley, Ferrarri, Rolex, etc, etc, etc, so all they have to do is cry a little and they will be moved to the front of the line and get whatever they want. I guess if I had the same optiopn, I, too, would excercise it. Unfortunately, I don't. :cry:
One of the guys bitching is Michael Jordan. If his team was racing Ducs instead of Suzuki maybe he might have gotten his way.
I hate rich people :x ....but if it wasn't for rich people we would not have a place to ride or race our bikes...So I like rich people Hi Bob and Mike(46)
i don't believe that cruise was the first person in the us to have one. i met a guy the other day at work and he showed me pics of his riding buddy with one. this guy used to have a ama race team and had good connections. apparently, it was hush hush, but he had gotten the first one in the usa- even before cruise (beverly hills ducati). so he says... as for me? i'll take the otheritalian V4. someone crash an new aprilia V4 on the street- i want a new track day wepon (link's spelling) on the cheap! :twisted:
the difference between me poking fun at link and renard and you rolling your eyes at me is that i know kevin (15 years) and renard- well. btw, it's grammar, not grammer.
Now THIS is what i'd prefer to do with a Desmo... compared to riding on the street. http://www.motogp.com/en/motogp/motogp_news.htm?menu=news&news_id=22464
Well the other day i stopped by at a friends shop and he had a DesomRR there, I just about crashed my truck in the parking lot :lol: Anyway I spent about 30 mins drooling over that bike. ( I'm not going to say were because its top secret) Please don't ask (BOB will know) Anyway i herd it run and its was the best sound i have ever heard (other then a F1 car on a race track) I think the bike is worth every penny. So save and your pennies. Bob the bike has TC so you may be able to ride W/O Crashing or what ever you do to a bike.